This study aimed to gain an in-depth perspective through examining how the conducting pedagogy of three selected exemplary high school and college instrumental music conductors function within the context of an actual rehearsal. A typical rehearsal was video recorded, followed by a "think-aloud" session in which the conductor viewed the video and engaged in an in-depth discussion of the rehearsal with a researcher. The "think-aloud" session was audiotaped and transcribed for analysis using a grounded theory approach. Data analysis revealed a good fit between emerging themes and the five dimensions of schooling described in Eisner's (1998) discussion of educational connoisseurship: intentional, structural, curricular, pedagogical, and evaluative. This study may provide models of best practice for in-service music educators as well as possibly informing and improving the training of pre-service music educators.